Two Articles:
Returning To Paris: The Next U.S. “NDC”
A new Administration will invariably seek to restore U.S. leadership on climate change through a wide range of domestic and international initiatives. While rejoining Paris per se will be straightforward, designing the next U.S. “nationally determined contribution” (NDC) is likely to involve a careful balancing of objectives. When the United States returns to the Paris Agreement, it will also need to communicate an NDC. The Agreement reflects an expectation (although not a requirement) that the NDC should reflect an economy-wide absolute reduction target. The contours of the target, including its scope, stringency, base year, and target year, will be up to the United States to decide.
By Susan Biniaz.. Climate Law Blog. Sabin Center For Climate Change Law. Columbia Law School. March 11th, 2020.
The Secret Weapon In Biden’s Fight Against Climate Change
Looking forward, one of the quickest and easiest things a Biden-Harris administration can do to support subnational climate action is to drop Trump-era actions against state policies. Over the past four years, U.S. states and local governments have played a critical role in filling the leadership void left by the Trump administration. The U.S. Climate Alliance, a bipartisan group of governors committed to meeting their share of the U.S. commitment under the Paris Agreement, now includes 25 states. On day one, a Biden-Harris administration could host a virtual convening of governors, mayors and tribal leaders from across the country in support of a new, more ambitious and science-aligned nationally determined contribution (NDC) — the commitment that countries must submit under the Paris Agreement. Participating governors and mayors would be expected to bring to the table their own clear, science-aligned targets and new commitments to action, in line with the administration’s 2050 net zero goal and ideally in support of an ambitious midterm target on the order of 50 percent by 2035.
By Aimee Barnes, Opinion Contributor, The Hill November. 14, 2020.
